Is there any studies being done to fix the stoplights for the parkway after the newly extended tollway ends? On average, I sit through the Lebanon light 5 or 6 times during rush hour. In the mornings as well it usually takes 30 minutes just to get on the tollway.

We have been out in the field each day since Tuesday making adjustments to the signal timing during both the AM and PM peaks. Tuesday night, northbound Dallas Parkway did back up considerably at Lebanon due to the new interchange. We made some adjustments during that period to alleviate it, but unfortunately with timing changes you usually donít get a good idea of the impact until the next day. Wednesday we were back out there and the changes made Tuesday did help, but didnít completely address the situation. Further adjustments were made and after our work this evening, I think the issues for northbound Dallas Parkway at Lebanon have been resolved.

The morning traffic along southbound Dallas Parkway was much better this morning unless you had the unfortunate timing of arriving at Dallas Parkway and Warren between 6:55 and 7:20am. At that time, a rear end accident occurred just south of Warren. The vehicles were cleared within five minutes, but it took until just after 7:20 for the system to completely recover.

We will continue to monitor the DNT closely over the next couple of weeks.

From your 30 minute description, I suspect you are talking about Main at DNT. Please read through the following link for further information on this location. If you were referring to a different location, please let me know through e-mail or the message board.

How about the light at Gaylord and Dallas Parkway? In the evening rush hour, the backup is from this light onto the DNT and back to the bridge over 121. Can this be helped by extending the green light at Gaylord and Dallas Parkway?

Not at this time. We originally started out with more green time for northbound Dallas Parkway at Gaylord when the new extension first opened. It resulted in a large northbound backup on Dallas Parkway at Lebanon. We made adjustments at Lebanon, but the only way we could eliminate the problem at Lebanon and keep the entire system from Gaylord to Main flowing as freely as possible was to change the green time at Gaylord to its current setting during the PM peak.

Would the addition of a left turn lane at Gaylord, Warren, Lebanon, and possibly Stonebrook, and then a right turn lane at Lebanon, aid in resolving some of the congestion caused by traffic turning onto these access roads?

Also what can be done to prevent motorists exiting DNT after the 121 bridge from using the far left lane to "jump ahead" of others who have been waiting patiently to advance at the light at Gaylord? It seems a rather large majority of the backup at Gaylord can be attributed to this "last minute" lane change. Maybe those big huge lane divider "dots"?

Yes, adding turn lanes will help. Many of the turn lanes in your list will be constructed as part of two upcoming projects.

One project is being managed by the city and will make u-turn and left-turn lane improvements at Gaylord, Country Road 2, BNSF railroad crossing, Platinum, and Main Street. These plans are complete. The project is currently working its way through the TxDOT plan review and funding agreement process. This process is necessary because 80% of the funding is being provided by the federal government. Construction at this time is scheduled to begin in late 2004.

Improvements at the Warren, Lebanon, and Stonebrook interchanges will be made by NTTA with the extension of the Tollway. All three locations are being converted to underpasses (DNT will go under). These improvements are tentatively scheduled to begin at the start of 2005. The changes will include left-turn lanes on Dallas Parkway, u-turn lanes, and additional turning lanes on the new bridge sections of Warren, Lebanon, and Stonebrook.

We are going to make some signage modifications at Gaylord and DNT. While the larger buttons do discourage motorists from the last minute lane changes, it unfortunately doesn't discourage them from filing insurance claims that the City caused damage to their vehicles.

To be clear, in the above-mentioned improvements, are right-turn lanes also included? These should not be left out of the improvements since the lack of right turn lanes are also a big source of backups.